Geochemistry and petrogenesis of sodic and potassic mafic alkaline rocks in the Deccan Volcanic Province, Mumbai Area (India)

Major element, trace element, Sr- and Nd-isotopes and mineral chemical data are reported for alkaline rocks (lamprophyres, tephrites, melanephelinites, nephelinites and nepheline syenites) cross-cutting the Deccan Trap lava flows south (Murud-Janjira area) and north of Mumbai (Bassein). These rocks range from sodic to potassic and have a large span in MgO (12–2 wt%). The lamprophyres have high content of incompatible elements (e.g., TiO2 > 3.8 wt%, Nb > 130 ppm, Zr > 380 ppm, Ba > 1200 ppm), and relatively high initial (at 65 Ma) 143Nd/144Nd (0.5128) and low 87Sr/86Sr (0.7038–0.7042). They are likely to be small-degree melts (2–3%) of volatile- and incompatible element-enriched mantle sources, similar to other alkaline rocks in the northern Deccan, though slightly more potassium-rich. The nepheline-rich rocks have highly porphyritic textures (up to 57% phenocrysts of diopside ± olivine), and anomalously low contents of incompatible elements (e.g., TiO2 < 1.3 wt%, Nb < 24 ppm, Zr < 100 ppm) indicating that they could not represent liquid compositions. Moreover, their very low initial 143Nd/144Nd ratios (0.5116–0.5120), at 87Sr/86Sr = 0.7045–0.7049, are unusual in the rocks related to the Deccan Traps and identify a new end-member in this province, that could be identified as “Lewisian-type” lower crust and/or enriched mantle. The melting episode that generated these alkaline rocks likely occurred close to the base of the ca. 100 km-thick Indian lithosphere, very shortly after the main eruption of the Deccan tholeiites.